The Israeli occupation continued their aggression on the Gaza Strip in the fifth day. Since Wednesday 70 Palestinians have been killed in zionist airstrikes, tank fire and naval shelling. A series of air raids on Gaza took place since the morning until now, in which 23 Palestinians were murdered and more than 500 were wounded.

21 Palestinian were killed on Sunday 18 2012 during Israeli air-strikes, among them 11 victims from the Al-Dalo family from Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. The house of Al-Dalo was bombed and the victims died under the rubble. They are: Solaifa al-Dalo, age 51, Samah, age 25, Tahani, age 21, Ranin, age 18, Mohammad, 33 and his three children Sara, Yousef, Jamal and Ibrahim, between one year old and7 years. Abed Allah Al-Mozannar, another victim was killed while walking in the street near the house of Al Dalo. Another baby Eyad Abu Khousa, 8 month from the al-Bureij refugee camp was killed and his brother was wounded.At the morning Sadia Al-Deeb, age 60 and and Sami al-Faqir were killed during an airstrike on the Al-Shujaiyya neighbourhood of Gaza. In the afternoon, an Israeli airstrike hit a water truck who sells water to the residents of Jabaliya killing Suheil Hammad, age 45, and his child Mamoun of age 14.

Two Palestinian men killed in separate airstrikes – Muhammad Abu Naqira died after the zionists bombed his house at Al Shaboura neighborhood of Rafah in southern Gaza. Attiah Mubarak, age 54 was killed at Al- Nuseirat Refugee camp.

In the north of Gaza, the medical centre received the body of Nawal Abed al-Ali, age 52. The victim had been under the rubble since the israelis bombed the police station in al-Tufah. From the al-Shati refugee camp, Ahmad Nahhal, age 27 and Tasneem Nahhal,,age 8, were killed.

More information was released in the statement below by Al-Mizan for Human Rights in Gaza.

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) attacks on Gaza continued for the fifth day. IOF’s use of the roof-knocking tactic increased today, and has claimed more civilian lives; including women and children. By midday today, 18 November 2012,53 Palestinians have been killed; including 10 children and five women. Another 554 were injured; including 174 children and 95 women.

Al Mezan’s monitoring points out that the use of the roof-knocking tactic in direct attacks on houses in Gaza has increased since yesterday evening. This tactic means that the IOF sends warning to families by firing rockets on their houses; then bombard the same houses with heavy bombs or missiles within a few minutes. This practice represents a serious violation of the prohibition against launching deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects in times of conflict.

At approximately 8:10 am today, an IOF drone fired a rocket onto the house of Yousif Abu Khousa, which is located in the Al-Bureij refugee camp in the middle-Gaza district. The house is located about 700 meters from the border fences between Gaza and Israel.The rocket exploded in the house’s yard, killing a child, Iyad Abu Khousa, 1.5, and injuring his brother, Suhaib, 6, critically and another girl, Sara Abu Khousa, 5.

At approximately 1:50 am, also today 18 November 2012, IOF drones fired three missiles at the house of the family of Saeed Abu Al-Foul, which consists of four floors and is located in BeitLahiya town in the North Gaza district. Missiles also hit neighbouring houses, which forced the residents of these houses to evacuate them quickly fearing for their life from heavier IOF bombardment. Only ten minutes after this attack, IOF warplanes fired three heavy missiles at the Abu Al-Foul’s house, destroying it completely and seriously damaging six houses in its vicinity. Another 20 houses, six stores, and a mosque were also partially damaged in the attack. Al Mezan’s monitoring indicates that 21 people were injured in this same attack; including 8 children and two women. The Abu Al-Foul’s family house was inhabited by six families with 22 persons; including 10 children and 6 women.

Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights condemns the IOF’s continued violations of human rights and international humanitarian law; especially attacks that directly target civilians and civilian objects, or carried out disproportionally. Al Mezan notes that many of the IOF attacks on Gaza, as well as its closure, constitute grave breaches of IHL; and many may amount to war crimes. Al Mezan deplores the inaction of the international community, who are under an obligation to uphold the rule of law and protect civilians and civilian property. The failure of international community to condemn IOF’s serious violations of international law and seeking to hold those who ordered and/or committed them accountable for such serious violations has only allowed, even encouraged, Israel to continue these violations.

Al Mezan calls for urgent international intervention to end the Israeli aggression and international law violations in the Gaza Strip without any further delay. Failure to make effective intervention will only lead to graver and wider violations of human rights and international law, as has been the case in the past few days. International community must also increase humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza in order to meet the mounting need for medical and other essential supplies. This aid is more needed under Israel’s years-long closure of Gaza